We are proud and delighted to announce another recognition for our Chairman’s outstanding work identifying the foreign fathers of children born to sex workers in order that these children may receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

In 2023, Legal Heroes was introduced by The Law Society as an opportunity to acknowledge and recognise solicitors who have made a profound impact on the lives of others.

This year, the initiative saw an impressive 470 nominations, which were meticulously reviewed by an expert judging panel before being narrowed down to a shortlist of 19 exceptional individuals.

On 12 September, The Law Society held a ceremony at 113 Chancery Lane in London to recognise the remarkable contributions of individuals whose work has transcended the bounds of their profession to make a profound and lasting impact to the lives of others and to society. The 2024 awards were presented by president, Nick Emmerson, alongside other members of the judging panel.

“This recognises solicitors who have shown personal commitment and leadership in the profession and have made a significant difference to other peoples’ lives,” Nick said. The Law Society

Andrew’s work: Hear Their Cries

For years sex tourists and abusive aid workers have escaped with impunity when impregnating vulnerable women and children in the developing world – until now.

A new precedent for accountability was set December 19, 2023, in a King’s Bench trial out of Edmonton, Canada using new DNA techniques to track fathers and hold them to account.

The precedent can be used in all Common Law jurisdictions including the UK, Australia, USA and New Zealand.

Using Genetic Genealogy, for the first time ever in any jurisdiction, the court accepted the parentage of a child using a combination of Familial DNA evidence and travel records.

In this case a man had impregnated a woman during a casual encounter in The Philippines, denied paternity and vanished. The mother had no record of who the father was.

Investigators led by Hear Their Cries co-founder Professor Andrew MacLeod, used the DNA* of the child, identified extended family members on commercial websites and were able to determine through genealogical triangulation the paternal grandparents of the child.

More here.